Greenwich Council has confirmed plans for a low-traffic neighbourhood on both sides of Greenwich Park – but it will only operate for seven hours each day.
Documents confirming the move were quietly published on an obscure section of the council website on Friday, and are now open for “call in” – a procedure where councillors have a week to challenge the decision before it is formally approved by Averil Lekau, the Labour council’s deputy leader.
The plans would block most through traffic using Point Hill, Hyde Vale and Crooms Hill to the west of Greenwich Park; and Maze Hill, Vanbrugh Hill, Halstow Road and Westcombe Hill to the east, using numberplate-recognition cameras. East-west traffic along St John’s Park in Blackheath would also be blocked.
But the trial scheme, spanning much of Greenwich and the Westcombe Park area of Blackheath, would only be in operation on weekdays, between 7-10am and 3-7pm.
Buses, emergency vehicles, taxis and blue badge holders would be exempt, as would minicabs and organisations which qualify for a blue badge, such as those carrying people with special educational needs.
There would also be “individual circumstance” exemptions for carers and those with health conditions or who would suffer “overwhelming psychological distress” or other difficulties from a longer or rerouted journey.
A proposal to allow residents living in the area to buy permits allowing them through the LTN for about £100 was rejected on the grounds that it would be unfair on less-well off residents and those living just outside.
With Greenwich Park already banning through traffic, the proposals will effectively block most through traffic in an area bounded by Greenwich South Street, the A2, the A102 and A206.
Plans were first announced in August last year, and followed a short-lived low-traffic neighbourhood covering streets west of Greenwich Park, introduced in August 2020 with the backing of Boris Johnson’s government.
Residents had long complained about drivers using their streets to escape the congested A2, along with aggressive and antisocial behaviour. That was blamed for a surge in traffic east of Greenwich Park, particularly in Maze Hill and Vanbrugh Hill, together with more jams and antisocial behaviour.
The council initially proposed introducing a low-traffic neighbourhood there too, but amid a furore among Labour members and councillors, it got cold feet and scrapped both schemes in the run-up to the council elections in May 2022. This was despite its own consultants saying that increases in traffic could be pinned on the pandemic deterring people from using public transport and people heading to the recently-opened Ikea store.
The fiasco almost backfired on Labour, with the Green party just 68 votes short of getting their first councillor in East Greenwich. Danny Thorpe, the council leader at the time, was ousted shortly after.
By restricting the scheme to rush hours only and allowing a wide range of exemptions, Greenwich will hope to avoid the criticism faced by Lewisham Council, which introduced a large “healthy neighbourhood” in Lee and Hither Green in 2020. The scheme was partly rolled back after a few months because of traffic problems on the neighbouring South Circular, but key elements remains in place.
But there are fears in Charlton that additional traffic will use Eastcombe Avenue and Victoria Way, already used as a cut-through, along with Marlborough Lane. The scheme also does not cover Banchory Road in Blackheath, used as a shortcut by lorries heading to the Metropolitan Police’s Charlton car pound despite signs saying that HGVs are not suitable.
Conversely, those inside the zone may find the start time – 7am – is too late, with traffic usually starting to build up long before then.
No date has been set for the trial to begin, although it is likely to be after the mayoral election on May 2. If the trial begins shortly after that, it is likely to come a year before the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel. which Transport for London insists – amid much local scepticism – will combat the morning queues on the A102 that disrupt traffic in the area.
The cycleway along the A206 – which was introduced at the same time as the original LTN – is a separate measure, with TfL currently analysing consultation responses before making a decision on making it permanent. It is likely to stay in place, with plans already in place to extend it to Woolwich and beyond to Plumstead.
The report can be found on the Greenwich Council website (click the tab marked “reports”).
Full maps can be seen for east of the park and west of the park at greenersafergreenwich.commonplace.is.
Updated at 9.30pm to include the maps.
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